Game Thread: Twins vs. KC @ 5:10 PM PST (7:10 PM CDT) 06/14/2019

[Blake]

After the nail-biter of yesterday's game, divisional rival KC come to town. This is a team the Twins beat, well, didn't lose to, earlier this year.

 

Now, later in the season, the Twins are a legitimate MLB powerhouse and KC, well, KC is not.

 

Are there some cracks in the Twins machine? Yes, but they are limited to the bullpen and, with Seattle being one of the best hitting teams in the league, it made a 10-5 game a bit closer than the score would otherwise indicate.

 

Now, on to KC. KC has fallen on hard times. With a record of 22 and 46, and a winning percentage of .324 (checked twice this time!) KC is very beatable rather than a "didn't lose to" team.

 

The Twins should take this series handily, but, like many, I get nervous when such teams come to town. Yes, the Twins have been taking care of business but, this is a division rival and division rivalries always seem to bring the best out. Especially against the team that is leading the division. Maybe we could talk KC into saving some of their effort for Cleveland? Maybe rest up a bit while in town?

 

With that, some things to think about:

 

1. Brad Keller turned in a stellar yet losing effort against Giolito last time he pitched.

2. Kyle Gibson turned in a less than stellar effort against the Tigers last time he pitched.

3. Are the Twins done with soft-tossing lefties yet?

4. I'd forgotten how much fun "small ball" can be.

 

Pitching for the Twins:

 

Kyle Gibson

 

Pitching for KC:

 

Brad Keller

 

5. Play ball!

[Blake]

Disclaimer: The author has been reprimanded for talking baseball in the baseball thread series openers. We are hoping the author realizes the gravity of this egregious violation of Game Thread standards and hope he will mend his ways.

 

Thank you.

 

Baseball thread author's guild

[nicksaviking]

Just wanted to say great job to Blake and all of our other game thread opener volunteers. The site put some faith in you folks to keep these going and you've all been knocking it out of the park. Nice work everyone.

[USAFChief]

Just wanted to say great job to Blake and all of our other game thread opener volunteers. The site put some faith in you folks to keep these going and you've all been knocking it out of the park. Nice work everyone.

what he said.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Just wanted to say great job to Blake and all of our other game thread opener volunteers. The site put some faith in you folks to keep these going and you've all been knocking it out of the park. Nice work everyone.

I was supposed to be knocking it out of the park? I thought the bunt was on...

 

Didn't you lick your lips, tap your cap twice, then touch your belt?

[Blake]

Well, thank you.

[Blake]

 

I was supposed to be knocking it out of the park? I thought the bunt was on...

Didn't you lick your lips, tap your cap twice, then touch your belt?

Umm, I thought the sign was: lip purse, cap touch, belt tap?

[PDX Twin]

In English football, games like this are called "banana skins." Opportunities for heavily favored teams to slip up.

 

Let's hope that the Twins can keep the focus on taters rather than bananas and that Gibson doesn't throw a lemon.

[twinsnorth49]

In English football, games like this are called "banana skins." Opportunities for heavily favored teams to slip up.

 

Let's hope that the Twins can keep the focus on taters rather than bananas and that Gibson doesn't throw a lemon.

Mashing taters is what they do best. Let's hope KC packed their cans of corn.

[Squirrel]

 

what he said.

Is that the new 'concur'?

[TFRazor]

All I want is for Gibson to go 7 innings. I really don't want to see more than 2 guys get used out of the bullpen

[Craig Arko]

Look who’s here.

 

[HawksNest]

Should be a fun series.

 

Despite their shortcomings, I think that KC is a really fun team to watch. Mondesi and Merrifield are two of the most exciting players in the AL IMO.

 

Keller has issues with his command but actually has semi-solid stuff. Gibson is gonna have to make sure he can navigate the top of their order (which isn't that bad TBH) and clean house with hitters 5-9.

 

Excited for a fun weekend of ball! 

 

 

[Blake]

 

Is that the new 'concur'?

Yes.

 

Oh wait, "yes" is for an ambiguous question.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Is that the new 'concur'?

What she said.

 

(playing with fire...)

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Appropo of nothing...

 

 

(i might have to do more complicated stuff to get it to display, i do so sufficiently i frequently and all)

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Look who’s here.

 

DB4223CE-6560-40E3-B8A6-F131EC852333.jpeg

Where?

 

(doesn't look like first base to me)

[Dantes929]

We have won 2/3 of our games.  They have won 1/3 of their games.    Odds say they will win one game this series but nearly every playoff team every season loses a series or is swept against a losing team like KC.   In fact this year they have swept Cleveland and won at least 2 games against the Yankees, Rays and Rangers.     Not the end of the world if we lose to them but they shouldn't be taken lightly.

[Dantes929]

 

I was supposed to be knocking it out of the park? I thought the bunt was on...

Didn't you lick your lips, tap your cap twice, then touch your belt?

 

Umm, I thought the sign was: lip purse, cap touch, belt tap?

 

[Diesel]

Disclaimer: The author has been reprimanded for talking baseball in the baseball thread series openers. We are hoping the author realizes the gravity of this egregious violation of Game Thread standards and hope he will mend his ways.

 

Thank you.

 

Baseball thread author's guild

I talked a lot about baseball yesterday, but I figured I had to get some positives out there after a debacle of a game

[Mr. Brooks]

If we want home field advantage, we're going to need some sweeps of awful teams along the way.

I'll never be disappointed winning a series, but KC is awful, I'm expecting a sweep.

[twinssporto]

Great night for some baseball!  I hope the Twins put on a hitting clinic.  

[Circus Boy]

As I've caught up on game threads, it dawned on me that I hadn't seen a D. Hocking post in forever. He's in West Virginia managing a Seattle Pilots A team, no?

[Nine of twelve]

 

As I've caught up on game threads, it dawned on me that I hadn't seen a D. Hocking post in forever. He's in West Virginia managing a Seattle Pilots A team, no?

The team he manages is actually a Seattle Mariners affiliate.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Oh yeah. Happy flag day!

[Brock Beauchamp]

Target Field will be packed this weekend.

 

That's a good thing to hear.

[VATwinsFan]

Good Gibson this evening?

[Don Walcott]

Good Gibson this evening?

Yeah. Whatever. Tell us who’s hitting home runs tonight and how.

 

Please.

[VATwinsFan]

Well, since yesterday I got hammered for getting the order and location wrong, I’ll forgo that part of it and just say Cron, Garver, and Rosario.

[Don Walcott]

Well, since yesterday I got hammered for getting the order and location wrong, I’ll forgo that part of it and just say Cron, Garver, and Rosario.

Thank you.

 

And it was remarkable how the bombas went out exactly how you predicted—but opposite.